Tories accuse Clegg of childish behaviour

UK Political Correspondent

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Tory MPs angrily accused Nick Clegg of behaving like a child over scrapped plans to reform the House of Lords yesterday.

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Kate Devlin UK Political Correspondent

One Conservative backbencher told the Deputy Prime Minister he was "throwing his toys out of the pram".

Others accused him of being "disingenuous" with his threat to block another key policy, which the Liberal Democrats insist is linked to Lords reform.

Last night, an opinion poll brought more bad news for the LibDem leader after calls last week within his party to step down.The Comres survey for the Independent suggested the Lib-Dems would do significantly better at the next General Election if Vince Cable took over as leader. Mr Clegg had attacked the Tory rebels who helped to scupper Lords reform. He also turned his fire on the Labour party accusing it of blocking change and of "spectacular insincerity". The Deputy Prime Minister also revealed that David Cameron had rejected his last ditch plea for a referendum to help keep the proposals alive. Aides to Mr Clegg called the move a "final throw" in a bid to overcome backbench Tory opposition, but confirmed it was never viewed as a realistic option by the Prime Minister. Yesterday was the first chance Tory MPs had had to vent their anger since Mr Clegg announced tit-for-tat moves to block electoral boundary changes. Under questioning from MPs, the Deputy Prime Minister also admitted he could not halt the Boundary Commission's ongoing work on the changes, which Labour say will see £11 million wasted.Mr Clegg also defended the planned reforms as good for Scotland, saying the chamber currently had too many members from the south east of England. But, he rejected suggestions from SNP MP Angus MacNeil that the failure of the plans showed Scotland would be better off independent. Many parts of the UK were "chronically underrepresented" in the Lords, he said, adding: "I don't think it argues in favour of ripping up the UK altogether."

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Local government

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Tories accuse Clegg of childish behaviour

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